Gripes

The best engines are strong and (nearly) silent and you can choose between comfy standard suspension or something a little more sporty

Inside

Masses of seat and wheel adjustment plus a stylish interior with sporty touches make this a great place to spend time

Safety

Top-notch kit helped it win the full five stars in Euro NCAP crash tests

Reliability

Feels built to last and rated above average for reliability by owners

Space

Perfect for a small family thanks to the large square boot and wide-opening back doors

Standard and extras

Decent kit for the money; upgrade for more goodies or the Sport version

What's it like to drive?

We're fans of the strong, silent type, which is why we'd avoid the lower-powered engines and go for the more refined turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol or 1.6-litre diesel. The standard suspension in the Seat Ibiza Estate is the best bet for comfortable family transport but if you want to inject a hint of fun into the school run try a Sport model with its firmer suspension and bigger wheels.

What's it like inside?

Seat has stuck to the rule book: everything is just where you'd hope to find it, there's plenty of seat and wheel adjustment and visibility is excellent. As for practicality - the estate's rear doors open a little wider than those in the hatchback version and the boot is more than just an afterthought for the dog. As well as being big and square theres no intrusive lip to load items over.

How reliable is it?

The Ibiza shares most of its nuts and bolts with the VW Polo, which suggests it should be fairly dependable. It's no surprise, then, that it scored above average marks for mechanical reliability in the latest JD Power ownership satisfaction survey.As for safety, the Ibiza has twin front and side airbags as standard. It hasn't been tested under the latest Euro NCAP crash-testing programme, but was awarded five stars (out of five) for adult safety and four stars for child protection on the old-style system.